(In)visible
by control of chaos
Summary: Family means a lot, especially when they are the only ones that can see you.


**(In)visible**

"_Why can't you get better grades like Isao did when he was your age? I'm sure you could do better if you just tried harder."_

There are certain pitfalls to being the youngest child.

"_Did you see that beautiful goal? Yasushi will definitely join the Olympics team next year if he keeps making displays as incredible as that."_

They have to live up to the expectations set by their older siblings.

"_Fumiko's latest artwork sold for __160,000. They are asking her for five more - a set! - if you can believe it."_

Kuroko Tetsuya began his childhood in the shadows of three prodigal siblings, the son of a beautiful movie star and the youngest Nobel laureate the previous century had seen. The expectations set years before he was born were enormous. Any other child might have been pressured by the family fame to become someone worthy of the position of the youngest child. Kuroko was different.

"_Tetsu-chan, your shots aren't getting any better and you're much too weak. Why don't you come back inside and study? Your father would love to help you."_

He was the exact opposite of his outgoing, passionate brothers and sister. Nothing his parents put in front of him was worthy of motivation, and they didn't believe that his one love, basketball, was worthy of his time with his small frame and complete inability to shoot. Yet he sat through all of Isao's award ceremonies, attended every one of Yasushi's soccer games, stood by Fumiko's side when she presented her masterpieces at art showings, and listened to the complements showered upon both his parents.

"_My life revolves around my children, of course. I'm proud of my career, but family matters even more."_

Even when they began to forget that he was there…

"_Yes, my oldest is going to be up for the Turing Award this year. And Isao and Fumiko are already making names for themselves in soccer and art. Fumiko has even been asked to compete in the Yokohama International Music Competition next summer._ _I have been truly gifted to have not one, but _three_, incredible children."_

…he always stayed just outside the spotlight for them.

Hidden in the shadows.

**(In)visible**

Akashi suspected the moment Aomine introduced him. It wasn't just the blue hair, the slender frame or short stature. It wasn't even the unnervingly bright sapphire eyes. Rather, it was the shine of purpose and determination that he saw in them despite one terrible shot after another.

It was impossible for Kuroko to pass or even receive the ball because both his opponents and teammates lost track of him once he entered the court. If he happened to get the ball, he had no chance of scoring and his team had to take a moment to realize where the ball had gotten off to, leaving them off-balance for catching his pass and losing the ball again. And yet as Akashi watched him, so Kuroko watched the players on both teams, using his faux-invisibility to block key opposing players by throwing them off-guard at his sudden appearance in front of them. He had Midorima - acting as his assistant while he sat out for the duration of the week that his horoscope had judged to be "potentially life-changing and prosperous" - tape the games, because it was impossible to track Kuroko and watch his team simultaneously.

Normally he might have considered someone like Kuroko to be dead weight, capable only of blocking and endlessly confusing his team. So even Midorima and Murisakibara questioned his decision to have Kuroko working with the second and third strings, distracting his attention from the new first string members he should have been working with. The new lack of glares during practice was equally disconcerting, though neither of them deigned to bring it up.

Akashi wasn't sure what made him want to invest in this particular student, but he knew that all he could think about was altering Kuroko's training to match his unique skills. The potential was clear, as was his family's history.

He confirmed it after school not long afterwards, minutes after the end of their nightly practice game.

"Your father's the geneticist Kuroko Ryuunosuke isn't he?"

Kuroko tilted his head toward the small captain, though he would never have used that word to describe him out loud. "Why would you say that?"

"Saw him at a conference once with his wife, the actress. My mother was invited and I asked to come along. The work he's done is fascinating to read. His family was there too. He said that his three kids were the center of his world."

"Then I couldn't be one of his on that premise," he noted dismissively, continuing to walk towards his family house away from the redhead.

"I thought it was odd," Akashi said, giving the impression of raising his voice through the surety of his tone even when it was still barely below conversational range, "because he only mentioned three when there were four at the table."

He froze midstep, breath hitching, before standing calmly in the middle of the sidewalk. The air was chilly, but that wasn't the reason he had to suppress a shiver.

"Odd that such a bright man and loving father would forget something so major," his captain went on, casually gesturing with his hands, "and, additionally, that no one would correct his mistake. Don't try to tell me that I'm wrong, Tetsuya," he added as Kuroko turned to speak. "I'm surprised that you've been able to go by undetected for this long, with your distinctive hair and blunt speech. Even I didn't notice you until Daiki brought you to my attention. It intrigues me." Akashi stepped closer until he was only a breath away. Kuroko fought against the urge to keep distance between them and tried not to look too spooked. "_You_ intrigue me. A boy invisible to everyone, including his own family." When the redhead moved back, he let out a short breath of relief. "The Kuroko family is known for being a gathering of some of the greatest potential in the country, if not the world. Daiki clearly saw some of that potential in you and so do I. But potential has to be nurtured."

Kuroko adjusted the strap of his backpack digging uncomfortably into his shoulder. "Then the two of you see something I don't. I've been playing since I was little and I still haven't managed to shoot a single hoop."

Akashi's chuckle made the shudder return, and he crossed his arms to make it look like it was the breeze that did it. "Or rather it's something we _don't_ see. Your invisibility, Tetsuya, it will be mine. Two weeks." He held up two fingers to emphasize his words. "We meet every day - I'll give you Sundays off if you improve well enough - and I'll have you on the first string in two weeks."

"Two weeks," he repeated, not quite believing Akashi's statement.

"Two weeks. We start tomorrow. Main gym. I'll have Daiki text you the time."

It was a long two weeks, but by the time he was accepted to the first string, Kuroko had learned to never doubt Akashi Seijurou.

**(In)visible**_  
_

A year later, Kise was the first one to notice the shared surname of his quiet teammate with a certain rising soccer star.

"Ne, Kurokocchi, Kuroko Yasushi is coming to one of my photo shoots! I'm going to ask for his autograph and get a picture with him!" He noticed the disinterested expression of his shorter teammate, whose concentration hadn't wavered from Seirin's early practice. "Do you even know who he is?"

"Yes."

It was as if he were in dreamland, completely deaf to his teammate in front of him. "He's the youngest player ever accepted on to the national soccer team! Kuroko even scored the goal that won Japan first this year in the Asia Cup!" The blond model scrunched up his ungodly perfect nose as something connected in his head. "Hey, the two of you share the same last name."

"Yes."

"Weird. His hair is sort of blue too, though I thought he was dyeing it… Maybe you two are long lost siblings, Kurokocchi!"

"Yes."

"I should ask- Wait, did you just say 'yes'?"

"Yes." Kuroko peeled his eyes from the second string versus third string match on the opposite end of the court. "Yashushi-san is my older brother."

Kise's mind went blank as he tried to process that. "Kurokocchi, that's a terrible joke."

"I'm no good with jokes, Kise-kun."

"But… But…" Tears welled up in the model's eyes. He put both of his hands on Kuroko's shoulders. "How could you keep this from me, Kurokocchi? I thought we were friends!"

"I just told you."

"Ryouta, why aren't you running laps with Atsushi and Shintaro?"

Kise swiveled with blue eyes still melodramatically shining under the bright gym lighting to look at Akashi with pouted lips. "Akashicchi! Kurokocchi-"

Kuroko shoved a water bottle into his mouth, nearly gagging him. "Akashi-kun, please excuse Kise-kun. The heat is getting to him," and said individual's attempt to cut in left him on the floor sputtering and coughing out water, "but I think he should be feeling better after a short break. I can look after him."

Akashi examined the pair critically, dichromatic eyes each seeming to take in a different player. "It is quite hot outside," he noted. "Tetsuya," the phantom player blinked in acknowledgement, "we'll switch up the regimen. Ryouta's with you for the morning exercises."

"Uh…ah Akashicchi?" Kise had recovered only too late. "I feel so much better now…"

"Ryouta." He looked up hopefully, only to be quickly dismayed. Teiko's captain swiveled both eyes to the model, sympathy found in neither. "Good luck."

Kise collapsed on the floor. "I'm doomed."

Due in part to an excrutiating day, courtesy of a tutor only too willing to push him over his limits, Kise's epiphany never made it to anyone else.

**(In)visible**

Riko seemed mildly stunned when she opened the door into Seirin's changing room, sending several half-dressed players scrambling for cover spluttering quiet expletives.

"Hey, Kuroko, you didn't say your family was coming."

"They aren't."

"Well I don't know anyone else on our team named Kuroko Tetsuya, so get out here and talk to them. And then you'll have some explaining to do."

Confused by Riko's words and shrugging when Kagami asked what was going on, Kuroko stepped out of the locker room with his coach. Kagami would likely have followed him out had their coach not dragged him back by his ear. He was further confused when he came face-to-face with two of his siblings, closing the door to quiet the yells coming from within. "I never told you I was playing in the Winter Cup."

The second eldest of the Kuroko siblings, Fumiko, leaned over to give him a hug. Even in flats, she was still an overwhelming 173 centimeters. "There's something called the internet, silly. And even though Mom thinks you just sit on the bench, the rest of us know better than that." In a bright red tee with only one shoulder and a sponsor's logos emblazoned artfully across the front, tan shorts and large, dark sunglasses to offset her similarly stunning blue hair, put up with pins and chopsticks, her wink looked more flirtatious than sweet.

A long, lean arm wrapped itself around his neck. "Besides, what else were we going to do after that looooooooong thing at the art gallery, Tetsu-chan?" As the youngest of his older siblings, Kuroko thought that Yasushi and his former teammate Kise would get along very well. The soccer star must have just come from practice himself, because he hadn't changed out of his uniform. Fumiko must have convinced him to switch the cleats for a clean pair of sneakers. "How do the newspapers know where we go, anyway? It was soooo hard to lose our tail!"

"You are hardly inconspicuous, niisan."

"Inconspicuous? I am the master of disguise!"

Their sister sighed. "We wanted to wish you good luck, Tetsuya. If we can't make it to the finals, we'll send Isao to cheer you on."

The brothers exchanged a look. Only she could convince the eldest to do anything against his nature, and there was no way he would ever be caught dead in a sport match, including a basketball game.

"So you two are just trying to escape Mom, right?" Kuroko accused lightly, knowing that his sister was easily bored by sports - and any physical activity, besides yoga, for that matter - and trying to keep Yasushi confined to a seat for more than ten minutes was a job in itself.

"'Course not," Yasushi declared. "That's not until next week, and I've already been blackmailed into going, even though it's just some press conference thing or whatever."

"There's a press conference _after_ the award ceremony for leading actress," Fumiko corrected him, as she so often did, "which we already know that Mom's is going to win." She grabbed ahold of Yasushi's arm. "We'll get out of your hair, Tetsuya, so you can get back to your team. I will try to keep our brother here from doing anything to embarrass you - though we know he'll probably get away with something," she added quietly, leaning towards him. "Good luck."

"Have fun!" his brother shouted, walking out backwards with their sister to give him two thumbs up. "Kick their ass and show 'em what the Kurokos are made of!"

Kuroko blinked, waiting to make sure he wouldn't have to stop Yasushi from making a fuss before he had even left the hallway, then returned to the locker room…

…where he found the entire team staring at him.

He stared back at them, somewhat wondering when they'd look away so he could disappear to change into his shorts. It didn't look like it was going to happen anytime soon.

Riko took the floor, crossing her arms and taking up her combative position. "You," she started melodramatically, pointing a finger at him, "_you_ never thought to bring up the somewhat incredible fact that your _brother_ is the single most awesome figure in all of Japanese soccer history, or that your sister has been the best selling artist for the last four years?"

After a small sigh, he shrugged. "You never asked."

"Why would I _possibly_ think to ask _that_?!" In a flash she turned on Kagami. "And _you_! You're supposed to be his partner! How did _you_ not know?"

The tall, redheaded power forward frowned at her, his forehead creasing in thought. "How didn't you? I thought it was kind of obvious."

"_Obvious_?" she shrieked, and Koganei took a step back from her, followed quickly by Hyuuga and Mitobe, who were also within ground zero.

"Well…yeah. I mean, besides the totally obvious family resemblance and last name, he was one of the Generation of Miracles. The only reason he isn't some kind of superstar like the rest of them is because he's so good at being invisible. Coach, even you didn't notice him when he came in."

The rest of Seirin asked themselves how Kagami, who would have unanimously been voted "Most Oblivious Player of the Year," could possibly have been the only one to notice what now seemed absolutely clear, scratching their heads and looking guiltily off into the distance. RIko threw her hands up in the air, looking around for Kuroko to strangle him and his nonchalance, before realizing that he had once again disappeared and left the locker room in a huff.

"You actually made the connection?"

Despite seeing him on a daily basis and experiencing his vanishing/reappearing act all too often, he couldn't help but jump every time, even if he managed to cover up his surprise a little better by now. "Between your bright blue hair and amazing skill? Duh. I really have no idea why everyone else seems to be in a state of shock."

"I do hope they snap out of it before the game," Kuroko noted absently. "Although I have to say that I'm kind of surprised too. No one's ever made the connection before, except Akashi."

"No one?"

"Probably because they forget that I'm in the room three seconds after I enter."

"But really, it makes a lot of sense. That's kind of who you are. You told me at the diner that the brighter the light, the darker the shadow. So I imagine that your family makes for a pretty bright light to grow up in."

Kuroko looked up at him. "That was deeper than I expected of you, Kagami."

"Thanks. Wait, what?"

It was hard to tell from his unchanging expressions, but Kuroko actually felt a surge of happiness at the acknowledgement. His parents might not see him, but his light did.

**Omake:**

Isao stared down his unusually long nose and wide glasses at his sister, book in hand and pen in his shirt pocket as usual. Fumiko stared defiantly down at her older brother, arms crossed tightly in front of her short, white dress, small blue flowers speckled across the base of the garment and the scarf draped through her arms. Real white roses were woven into hair, and yet she still seemed all the more ferocious. Though they were the same height, Fumiko's heels gave her a significant edge. The youngest of the group, Yasushi, was fiddling with his cuff links and tie, and avoiding at all cost interfering in the glaring match between his elder siblings.

It was Isao that gave in first, breaking off eye contact. "Fine. I'll go. But I'm bringing my work with me. I still have a lot of research to go through before I even start—" He lost his breath as his sister slammed into his chest with an ear-piercing cry, her hug squeezing all the air out of him as if she were a boa constrictor killing its meal.

"It means so much to Tetsuya, and this game is so important to him that one of us has to be there. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Yasushi!" Isao breathed a sigh of relief - after he gasped for air - as Fumiko leapt at Yasushi, swatting his hands from the cufflinks and redoing his tie. He left the room, condemning his brother to strangulation by tie. He really did hate sitting through these games, whether they were Yasushi's or Tetsuya's, but on his life he wouldn't dare go against his sister's wishes, especially if he had foolishly agreed to it.

_A/N: I just had to do the omake, because I would feel sad if I excluded Isao. And he might skewer me with his pen. Or Fumiko would skewer me with her ridiculous heels._

_Also, to everyone waiting for my AR updates… umm… I'd like to say that I'm working on those, but I'm really not…_


End file.
